This invention relates to an indicator mechanism for a transmission control system and more particularly to an indicator connecting cable mounting clip apparatus for a steering column including adjustment means wherein the indicator pointer is readily aligned with a selected dial indicia. The prior art is replete with transmission ratio or position indicators to insure that a pointer or needle is aligned with the transmission ratio selections imprinted on an indicia dial surface. An example of one such arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,675 issued Nov. 5, 1985 to Lansinger et al. and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The Lansinger patent concerns a self-adjusting selector dial indicator mechanism wherein manual adjustment of the cable section connected to the shift lever is eliminated.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,192 issued Aug. 30,1974 to Roniwicz et al. discloses an automatic transmission ratio indicator wherein the dial pointer is connected to an actuator cable by means of a slip clutch providing automatic calibration of the dial as the cable is adjusted to one extreme position.
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,925,061 issued Feb. 16, 1960 to Thornburgh et al. discloses an indicator mechanism for a vehicle transmission wherein an actuator cable is connected to a steering column shift control tube by means of a clip adjustably secured to the tube. The Thornborgh patent stresses the need for easy and quick connection of the indicator needle or pointer with the automatic transmission shift control tube as well as provision for adjustment in view of automotive assembly line mass production techniques.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cable mounting clip apparatus for a automotive transmission shift indicator incorporating a dial pointer adjustment which is quickly and easily assembled, incorporates a minimal number of components, and is positively retained in a locked manner on the vehicle steering column.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cable mounting clip apparatus as set forth above which can be attached in an aperture in the steering column jacket in a simple snap-in manner and thereafter readily locked in the aperture by an integral hinged lock-bar while allowing nondestructive disassembly of the clip.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a cable mounting clip apparatus as set forth above wherein a single threaded fastener may be rotated by a hand tool to achieve single-handed dual directional alignment of the indicator pointer with a selected dial indicia.